Load handling attachment for hydraulic lifts



N. A WALSH June 17, 1969 LOAD HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR HYDRAULIC LIFTS F ilecl June 16, 1966 Fig. 9

' Na mon A. Walsh INVENTOR.

June 17, 1969 N. A WALSH LOAD HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR HYDRAULIC LIFTS Sheet Filed June 16, 1966 Fig.5

Fig.7

Namon A. Walsh INVLNTOR.

United States Patent Office 3,450,288 Patented June 17, 1969 3,450,288 LOAD HANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR HYDRAULIC LIFTS Namon A. Walsh, Rte. 4, Roxboro, N.C. 27573 Filed June 16, 1966, Ser. No. 557,999 Int. Cl. B661? 9/18, 9/14 U.S. Cl. 214-731 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a special load handling attachment for industrial trucks having power operated lift and clamping facilities. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the handling of loads usually encountered in the tobacco industry such as baskets of tobacco leaves and sheeted bundles of tobacco.

Although various load engaging facilities have heretofore been devised for attachment to the power operated lifts and clamping assemblies associated with industrial trucks, they are not suitable for the types of loads with which the present invention is concerned. The load engaging attachments of the present invention are particularly designed therefore to support a load in such a manner as to avoid damage thereto as well as to raise loads from the ground and deposit them in piles.

In accordance with the foregoing objectives of the present invention, the load engaging attachments include forwardly extending arms mounted in laterally spaced relation to each other by the hydraulic clamping assembly and spaced therebelow so that the confronting inner edges of the arms may be vertically displaced into engagement with the ground and be moved laterally toward each other along the ground in order to engage and support a load therebetween. The arms are therefore laterally inclined and contoured or curved so as to accommodate reception of the particular load and support thereof above the ground with a minimum amount of lateral or longitudinal shifting.

Despite the special care required in connection with the handling of tobacco leaves, the load engaging attachment of the present invention is capable of meeting the problem with power operated equipment so as to eliminate the need for a substantial amount of manual labor. Further, in addition to the savings in labor costs, the load engaging attachments of the present invention will considerably reduce handling time.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the load handling attachment of the present invention installed.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the attachment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the attachment.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 44 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 55 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 6-6 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view of the attachment.

FIGURE 8 is a partial perspective view showing a modified form of attachment.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 9-9 in FIGURE 8.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference numeral 10 generally denotes in FIGURE 1 a commercially available type of industrial truck mounting a forward mast structure 12 through which the load handling attachment generally referred to by reference numeral 14 is vertically moved. The mast structure is of a well-known type and includes a pair of parallel vertical guide rails 16 between which a hydraulic piston motor 18 is located for elevating or lowering a load such as the basket of tobacco leaves 20 shown in FIGURE 1.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5, a vertically movable carriage 22 is mounted by the mast structure 12 forwardly of the truck 10. The carriage 32 mounts a hydraulic clamp assembly 34 having laterally spaced mounting bases 36 which are displaceable relative to each other by the hydraulic power operating facilities associated with the clamp assembly. It will therefore be apparent that a load engaged by the attachment 14 may be vertically displaced and tilted forwardly or rearwardly by means of the mast structure while operation of the clamp assembly will be operative to both engage and release the load under control of the operator of the truck. Since the structural and operating details associated with the mast structure and the clamp assembly are well known and form no part of the present invention, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

As shown in FIGURES 1 through 7, the attachment 14 consists of two load engaging sections 24 and 26 which are laterally displaceable toward or away from each other by means of the hydraulic clamp assembly 34 to which they are connected. Each section is therefore secured by suitable means such as the fasteners 28 to the mounting bases 36 associated with the clamp assembly. Further, it will be noted that the load engaging sections 24 and 26 extend below the clamp assembly 34 so that it may be vertically displaced into engagement with the ground in order to pick up a load such as the load 20 as shown in FIGURE 1.

As more clearly seen in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, each load engaging section is a mirror image of the other and includes a forwardly extending, elongated arm 30. The arm includes an inner edge 32 which extends from a forward end portion 38 to a rear end portion 40. The forward edge 32 is provided with a special contour or curvature for accommodating the particular loads to be handled, this curvature being such as to facilitate engagement of the load lying on the ground with little likelihood of damaging the tobacco leaves. It will be noted therefore, that the arms 30 curve toward each other adjacent the rear end portions 40 and also curve slightly toward each other adjacent the forward end portions 38. Also, in order to engage the load and minimize shifting of the load either laterally or forwardly and rearwardly once it is supported, the arms 30 are laterally inclined at a substantially constant angle along the curved length of the inner edge 32. Accordingly, the arms 32 are fixedly positioned so that the laterally outer edges 42 thereof are spaced above the inner confronting edges 32.

The load engaging arm 30 of each section 24 and 26 is 'fixedly mounted as aforementioned by means of a mounting structure which includes a vertical side wall 44 secured along a rear vertical edge thereof to a laterally extending rear wall 46 to which the mounting base 36 is connected by fasteners 28. A horizontal base plate 48 is secured to the lower edges of the side and rear walls 44 and 46 and underlies the load engaging arm as more clearly seen in FIGURE 6. The inner edge 32 of the arm 30 may therefore be welded to the base plate 48 while the outer edge 42 of the arm is welded to the side wall 44 and to a curved corner connecting wall 50. The connecting wall 50 is therefore also welded along its forward vertical edge to the side wall and is spaced from the rear wall 46 I at its rear vertical edge so that a panel 52 may be slidably mounted between the rear walls and the connecting walls.

The panel 52 bridges the rear end portions of the load engaging arms 30 and may thereby provide an abutment against which certain types of loads are engaged. The panel 52 also cooperates to limit laterally outward movement of the load engaging sections 24 and 26 relative to each other. Toward this end, the rear side of the panel 52 is provided with an anchor 54 to which the flexible chains 56 are connected, the ends of the chains also being secured by anchors 58 to the rear sides of the rear walls 46 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 7. Also, in order to limit lateral inward movement of the load engaging sections toward each other, one of the rear walls is provided with an abutment 60 adjacent its lower edge adapted to be engaged by a stop bar 62 pivotally mounted on the other rear wall. Thus, when the bar 62 is displaced from its dotted line position shown in FIGURE 7 to the solid line position, it will be held against the rear wall by means of the guide element 64 and engage the abutment 60 when the load engaging sections are laterally displaced by the clamp assembly to an inner limit position, the opposite outer limit position being determined by the length of the flexible chains 56.

It will be apparent that the vertical walls associated with the load engaging sections will confine the load therebetween which is engaged and supported by the arms 30 as aforementioned. The load engaging sections may be laterally displaced away from each other as limited by the flexible chains 56 in order to release the load after it has been positioned at any desired location whether it be on the ground or on top of some other load. It will also be necessary to limit the laterally inward movement of the load engaging sections toward each other as hereinbefore described when engaging loads such as the basket load 20 shown in FIGURE 1. However, for other types of loads such as sheeted tobacco leaves, it may be desirable to move the load engaging sections closer toward each other than permitted by the stop elements 60 and 62. In such case, the panel 52 is removed and the stop bar 62 pivoted to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 7. Accordingly, laterally inward movement will then be limited by abutment between the rear walls 46.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show another form of load engaging attachment wherein load engaging arms 66 are provided, these arms serving functions similar to those described in connection with the arms 30 of FIGURES 1 through 7. Accordingly, each of the arms 66 includes a curved inner edge 68 extending from a forward end portion 70 and engageable with the ground. The arms 66 are also formed integral with a mounting extension 72 secured in any suitable fashion to the mounting base 36 of the clamp assembly 34. The arms 66 are thereby fixedly positioned so that they are laterally inclined for facilitated engagement with the load as hereinbefore described in connection with the arms 30.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described.

I claim:

1. In combination with a lift truck having a vertically driven carriage and a power operated clamp assembly, a pair of load engaging sections mounted by the clamp assembly for vertical movement relative to the ground and lateral movement relative to each other, each of said load engaging sections including an elongated arm extending forwardly from the truck and means rigidly mounting said arms in laterally inclined positions fixedly spaced below the clamp assembly, said elongated arms including confronting inner edges and laterally outer edges spaced above the confronting inner edges to prevent lateral shifting of a load supported between the arms, said edges of the arms being curved toward each other at forward and rear end portions of the arms to prevent shifting of the load forwardly and rearwardly thereof, said mounting means comprising laterally spaced vertical side walls, rear Walls secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls secured to the side walls in spaced relation to the rear walls, and horizontal base plates secured to the side walls and the rear walls below the elongated arms, said elongated arms being secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls and the base plates.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a panel slidably received between the rear walls and the corner walls bridging the elongated arms.

3. The combination of claim 2 including stop means mounted by the mounting means for limiting lateral movement of the elongated arms relative to each other.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said stop means includes an abutment element mounted on one of said rear walls, a stop bar pivotally mounted by the other of the walls for displacement into the path of movement of the abutment element and flexible means anchored to the panel and connected to the rear walls for limiting lateral movement outwardly from the panel.

5. In combination with a lift truck having a vertically driven carriage and a power operated clamp assembly, a pair of load engaging sections mounted by the clamp assembly for vertical movement relative to the ground and lateral movement relative to each other, each of said load engaging sections including an elongated arm extending forwardly from the truck and means rigidly mounting said arms in laterally inclined position fixedly spaced below the clamp assembly, said mounting means comprising laterally spaced vertical side walls, rear walls secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls secured to the side walls in spaced relation to the rear walls, and horizontal base plates secured to the side walls and the rear walls below the elongated arms, said elongated arms being secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls and the base plates.

6. The combination of claim 5 including a panel slidably received between the rear walls and the corner walls bridging the elongated arms.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said stop means includes an abutment element mounted on one of said rear walls, a stop bar pivotally mounted by the other of the walls for displacement into the path of movement of the abutment element and flexible means anchored to the panel and connected to the rear walls for limiting lateral movement outwardly from the panel.

8. In combination with a lift struck having a vertically driven carriage and a power operated clamp assembly, a pair of load engaging sections mounted by the clamp assembly for vertical movement relative to the ground and lateral movement relative to each other, each of said load engaging sections including an elongated arm extending forwardly from the truck, laterally spaced vertical side walls, rear walls secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls secured to the side walls in spaced relation to the rear walls, and horizontal base plates secured to the side walls and the rear walls below the elongated arms, said elongated arms being secured to the side walls, corner connecting walls and the base plates.

5 9. The combination of claim 8 including a panel slidably received between the rear walls and the corner Walls bridging the elongated arms.

2,671,571 3/1954 Gerhardt 214653 2,742,316 4/1956 Phillips 214-651 X 6 3,182,837 5/1965 Farmer et a1. 214-653 3,223,267 12/1965 Stammen 214730 3,262,595 7/1966 Seip et a1. 214-653 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

